d quiet of life.
With my choice library of one thousand volumes I indulged in the
study of science and literature. I soon discovered that the bustle
and turmoil of political life did not produce happiness."

Sad to relate, this faithful public servant, worn with the cares
of state, was not even yet permitted to lay aside his armor.
The happiness of private life, for which his soul yearned as the
hart panteth for the water brooks, was again postponed for the
hated bustle and turmoil of politics. In 1852, against his
remonstrances, he was again elected to the Legislature, and upon
the organization of the House unanimously chosen Speaker.

Reluctantly indeed, we now take leave of John Reynolds--the quaintest
of all the odd characters this country of ours has known. In doing
so, it is indeed a comfort to know that, true as the needle to the
pole, his great heart continued to beat in unison with that of the
people. Ascending the Speaker's stand, and lifting the gavel, with
deep emotion he said--and these are to us his last words: "I have
nothing to labor for but the public good. My life has been devoted
to promote the public interest of Illinois, and in my latter days it
will afford me profound pleasure to advance now, as I have always done
in the past, _the best interests of the people."_

XIII
THE MORMON EXODUS FROM ILLINOIS

DELEGATE CANNON AND SENATOR CANNON, MORMONS--SKETCH OF MORMONISM
BY GOVERNOR FORD--JOSEPH SMITH'S OWN ACCOUNT OF THE ORIGIN OF
HIS CHURCH--HOW "THE BOOK OF MORMON" WAS MADE--NAUVOO, "THE HOLY
CITY"--EFFORTS OF WHIGS AND DEMOCRATS TO WIN THE VOTES OF THE
MORMONS--VICTORY OF THE DEMOCRATS, AND CONSEQUENT ANTI-MORMONISM
OF THE WHIGS--JOSEPH SMITH'S PRETENSIONS TO ROYALTY--THE ORIGIN OF
POLYGAMY IN THE MORMON CHURCH--CONFLICT WITH THE STATE AUTHORITIES
--SURRENDER OF THE LEADERS--ASSASSINATION OF SMITH--BRIGHAM
YOUNG CHOSEN AS HIS SUCCESSOR--THE EXODUS BEGINS.

Just across the aisle from my seat in the House of Representatives
during the forty-sixth Congress sat George Q. Cannon, the delegate
from the Territory of Utah. He held this position for many years,
and possessed in the highest degree the confidence of the Mormon
people. Fifteen years later, when presiding over the Senate, I
administered the oath of office to his son, the Hon. Frank J.
Cannon, the first chosen to represent the State of Utah in the Upper
Chamber of the National Congress. Senator Cannon was then in high
favor wi